Devour
Erin is closing up her restaurant for the night, when an old flame and now successful actress, Renee, shows up out of the blue, and asks Erin to cook up her favorite meal.
Interview with Writer/Director Victoria Diana
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
One reason I made Devour, is because I wanted to challenge myself with a dialogue heavy script. The short film I made before Devour was with one actor, in a car, with zero dialogue, and was a challenge in itself, but I was ready for a new one. I was drawn to making a film that had two actors, in a room, talking, where I could really play with blocking and cinematic language to exemplify how they were feeling, or who had the upper hand in the conversation at any given time. Also with everything in our culture lately being driven by nostalgia, such as remaking popular films and TV shows, I wanted to explore themes of nostalgia, and how trying to recreate a moment from your memory never ends up how you hoped it would be. And then I was lucky enough to be one of four winners of the 2020 CNY Short Film Competition, and was awarded $40,000 to make Devour, which we filmed in Syracuse, NY.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I don't know, man, you have free will and all, but I hope you watch this film. I do believe that there is at least a little kernel of something in Devour that everyone can relate to. Whether you worked (and dated) in the service industry, worked as an actor, confronted an ex for closure, or hung out with someone from your past that made you both revert back to your old selves, there are themes in Devour that everyone can relate at least partially too. And if you don't relate to ANY OF THAT, but are a lover of grilled cheese and tomato soup, you can get something out of it too.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
There are a few themes I really wanted to explore in Devour. One being what I mentioned earlier -- nostalgia, and how trying to recreate a moment from your memory never ends up how you hoped. Another theme I wanted to explore was relationship advice I heard in a podcast. John Mulaney was on Pete Holmes' You Made it Weird podcast, and was sharing some marriage advice, ironically before he got a divorce, but the advice still stuck with me. He said that to make a relationship work, you have to be OK with the fact that your partner is going to change. You can't be like, "What do you mean you like mushrooms now, you always hated mushrooms?!" (I don't remember the exact example he used). Erin and Renee are very much not OK with the fact that the other has changed in some way, and isn't an exact replica of the version they've kept in their memories of the other, and this leads to much of the conflict. Reality sours the memories they have of each other, and the grilled cheese just doesn't taste the same way it used to. I also wanted to show how, together, they tend to bring out the toxic traits in the other. Erin starts drinking again, Renee starts smoking. Renee is wearing red, the same color as the liquor bottles at the bar, and Erin is wearing green, the same color as the cigarettes she offers Renee. They are quite literally bad for each other.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Oh yeah. The story began with my friends, fellow actors/writers/directors, Kristin Noriega and Kevin Miner developing the story, and then moved to me writing it, and putting my own personal experiences into it, and then moved to collaborating with the producers, the cinematographer, production designer, actors, etc, where everyone adds their own essence to the story, and it turns into something that has a little bit of all of us in it.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I have received a lot of good feedback so far. A lot of people have told me that they like how Devour is about an LGBTQ+ couple, but the main conflict is not about them being gay, or society keeping them a part. Also, that they are flawed, imperfect characters. Other feedback I received was that they loved the acting, thanks to actors Andrea Morales, Kelli Barrett, and Roger Yeh, and they loved the cinematography, thanks to DP Jim Powers! I feel lucky to have collaborated with such talented people.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I'm especially happy that people from the LGBTQ+ community have related to this film, and enjoyed it! I'm also happy that people who work in the service industry have related to the film as well. I was very thoughtful when creating shot choices with DP Jim Powers, so it's been fulfilling, as well, when people say they really liked some of the choices we made.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I would love to get this film into more festivals! Also any waiver codes or discounted submission fees would be a huge help, as it has been difficult to afford festival submissions.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I need Film Festival Directors to come on board! Distribution would, of course, be amazing too, down the road, but definitely at this point in the process, I would love for Devour to be included in more festivals. And journalists to amplify the film, and get it more press would also be nice!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Anytime I make a film, the best part is sitting in a theatre at a film festival, and hearing people react to the film. I wish I could see their reactions, but it's usually pretty dark. I'm also a stand-up comic, another medium in which you hope the audience reacts to your work, and is entertained by it. Whether it's a laugh at a funny part, a gasp at a shocking part, or just overall being moved by the story, I hope the audience feels something, and reacts in some way when watching the film. There's a part in the film that oozes tension, and you don't know whether or not the characters are going to kiss (I won't spoil it), that moment always gets some sharp inhales, which we love to hear.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Is nostalgia poisonous?
Would you like to add anything else?
I would like to mention the Innovation Group of CNY Arts, who awarded me the money and opportunity to make Devour, and to mention APB Film Collective, who helped produce the film. Definitely check them out, and the other awesome short films they have made. And thanks to We are Moving Stories for featuring Devour!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I'm working on developing an animated comedy pilot called the Adventures of Burning Man and Frigid Bitch, which follows two super humans with unfortunate powers, the ability to shoot fire and ice, respectively, out of their nether regions. After Burning Man, a wannabe superhero, is arrested, he escapes the high security prison with Frigid Bitch, an aspiring supervillain, and decides to infiltrate her scrappy group of villains, to expose them, and clear his name.
Producer John W. Yost is currently in pre-production on his short dark comedy film Quincy, which follows two victorian era aristocrats from Mars, who try to understand reincarnation to Earth through the torture of their servants.
Producer Micah Khan is currently developing and raising funds for his next short comedy film Dawn of Man, which I co-wrote, and follows an actor on the set of a Bollywood version of 2001: A Space Odyssey, who refuses to break character as one of the Apes, in order to avoid his problems.
Story Creator Kristin Noriega just wrapped on and starred in her directorial debut short horror film When You're Gone, which follows a lapsed writer turned party girl, in the midst of heartbreak and self implosion, who must learn what it truly means to face her pain when she's hunted by a subterranean mother and its brood.
Interview: April 2022
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Devour
Length:
21:51
Writer/Director
VICTORIA DIANA is a writer, director and comedian from Schenectady, NY. She is winner of the 2020 CNY Short Film Competition, and was a 2020 Second Rounder at Austin Film Festival, with her comedy pilot 'The Adventures of Burning Man and Frigid Bitch.' When she's not writing, directing or performing stand-up, she spends most her time and money on food and iced coffee, much to the horror of her father, who does her taxes.
Producer
JOHN W. YOST has worked in tandem as an educator and commercial producer; creating and directing broadcasts, commercials, music videos, short films, and features. He is the founder of commercial production company, Fifth Column Features and the co-founder of a film collective known as The APB. His produced films have been played at festivals like Slamdance, Sarasota Film Festival, and Maryland Film Festival.
Key cast:
Kelli Barrett (Erin), Andrea Morales (Renee)
Looking for:
film festival directors, journalists
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/victoria.n.diana/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/_victoriadiana/
Hashtags used:
#DevourShortFilm
More info:
https://apbfilm.com/devour-promotional
Screens at:
Garden State Film Festival / Virtual - 3/28-4/2/222
Albany Film Festival / Albany, NY - 4/2/22